Kagome's Plot and the Consequences
by MadKat13
Summary: An ongoing epic tale of love and trials. (Inuyasha/Kagome and a little classic Miroku/Sango)
1. Part I: Chapter 1

@I don't own these chars, yada yada, excuse anything that offends and hope you like it.@

**Kagome sighed.  What was she to do?**

**They had fought _again_.  Would it ever end?  Or, was she doomed to be torn like this forever?  One moment, he's holding her, and they are about to kiss, and what does he say?**

"I love you Kikyou."  Kikyou?  Kikyou?!  Why, after making that mistake, he deserved to die or something horrible.  He deserved to feel that anguish as he is torn from feeling a part of love to feeling like some… replacement.  Well, he would pay, in a very special way, she decided, smirking.  She knew exactly how.

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**Inuyasha jumped into the well furious.  Ok, so he had made one slip of the tongue, but to slam him on the ground like that?  It was her fault she looked so much like Kikyou.  He couldn't help that she had to go and get all upset, and he'd even apologized.  Well, this was the end of his giving into _her_ way.  Now, she was going to help him get the shards, whether she wanted to or not.  She didn't have any of those exam things for a month.  She was on his time, and she would _know _it.**

**The plan was forming before he knew it.  He decided to make it up to her after he made her pay, and he knew just the place.  It was a beautiful pool with a jewel studded bottom, and reflective rock all around it made it glitter beautifully at sunset.  When she'd apologized, he'd take her there.  And before hand, he'd polish the stone.**

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**As she heard Inuyasha coming, she put on the last few touches.  It started with just a nice dress, a little make up.  Now she was all out, jewelry and everything.  She had rouge on her cheeks, mascara on her eyelashes, and everything between was perfect with makeup.  It was a "no smell" kind too, so its scent would be less noticeable to him.  She had also taken care to do her hair in beautiful ringlets, which she coated with gold.  Inuyasha would never know what hit him.**

**When he climbed up the side of the well, Kagome put on her best smile, and watched with great joy as his expression altered from anger to surprise.  Then he missed his hand hold and fell back into the well.**

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**Inuyasha climbed up the side of the well, still angry at Kagome for making him come to her.  When he reached the top, he found Kagome… But not Kagome, _Kagome_ beautifully done up in a dress and make-up he could only faintly smell.  He lost his grip.**

**At the bottom, he managed to come up with a suitable set of remarks; even so, he knew he'd lost before he even began.**

**"I hope you brought something else to wear, because I can't see how you could possible ride your contraption dressed like that."  Inuyasha was fairly confident he'd at least dent her pride this time.**

**"Oh, hadn't you noticed?  It's a miniskirt, I can move about fine."  Kagome's eyes betrayed no hint of what she was thinking, and so many other subtle smells coated her so she was completely and elusively unreadable.**

**"And you plan to let Miroku near you while wearing that?"  His rebuttal was swift, and he grinned inwardly as she squinted.**

**"Why would you care, perhaps Miroku and I get on better than you and I."  At this Inuyasha had no choice, it was act now or let her know she'd won, but as he leapt forward to grab her and take her through the well, she stepped aside, letting him roll out the shrine door while she hopped down.  Cursing his luck, Inuyasha scrambled back up to leap through after her.**

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**On the other side Kagome was very quick to hurry towards the wolf tribe's area.  She knew the wolves would slow Inuyasha down while she set herself up with Kouga.  So far, everything was perfect.**

**When she reached the wolf domain, however, things were far from perfect.  For one, a wolf-youkai that didn't recognize her just grabbed her as she was running toward Kouga's personal cave.  Now she was lost in some side caves she had gone down while trying to escape.  Usually all visits here were quickly curtailed by Inuyasha, but now she began to wonder what would happen if she were here for longer, with or without Kouga and the dubious protection he offered.  Were she with Kouga, would he advance on her, force her to… No, she would not think about that, she would just hope that things could be set straight…**

**Turning right, she found herself at last somewhere she recognized, unfortunately, it was not where she wanted to be.  It was the communal battle room, where any human was considered a prize to be chosen based on how entertaining the fight was.  And the current fight was receiving plenty of enthusiasm…**

**"Ah, here we are, the only one in the lot worthy of such a fight!"  An old wolf grabbed her roughly and placed her on the edge of the ring.  Oh dear…  Kagome couldn't watch the fight, she had doomed herself.  As the fight ended, however, things began to look up.**

**"Kagome!  What are you doing here?"  Kouga had apparently been one of the combatants, and to judge by the look on his face, the winner.**

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**Inuyasha was very worried.  Kagome had been in a strange humor when he found her at the bone-eater's well, but to head straight into wolf territory?  She wouldn't.  If that… that… bastard Kouga had anything to do with this, Inuyasha vowed he'd bash his face in.  That is, after rescuing Kagome, but before he won her heart.**

**Following the trail she'd left was a bit hard, she kept throwing bits of jewelry off in odd directions, and they lead him off the path.  Then, he was sure that Kouga had something to do with Kagome's behavior or disappearance because every single guard had to contest with him.  Battle may be part sport among the wolves, but really, did they have to take all day about it?  Inuyasha batted off challengers like flies and still they managed to slow him.  What if Kagome didn't come by force?  What if she had finally given up on him?  He wouldn't let her, break his heart though it might, he knew the wolf meant worse, and should she turn to Kouga he would lock her in her time, forever if need be.**

**Inuyasha wondered if he'd live to see her naturally in her own time.**

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@So it starts, but only I know what will happen… actually, to be honest I feel more like I'm watching it and I have to wait myself to write and see what happens…@


	2. Part I: Chapter 2

@Ok, I'm real sorry to those who were waiting for continuances, I kinda got distracted, then forgot my password, as I seem to accumulate them, so anyway, this may go differently than planned due to time lapse, but I hope you enjoy!@

**Kouga lead Kagome toward the communal eating cave **@wolves are pack creatures, they do almost everything communally@** where he said had a feast set before them, for a victory in battle a few days before, and now for her arrival.**

**"So you've finally seen that dog hanyou doesn't care about you as I do, well, that's good, now we can begin to toast to a long life and many children!"  Kagome groaned inwardly before Kouga even finished, he could be nice _and _arrogant.  Still, he was nice…**

**"I hope you enjoy my time here, for I do not think I can stay very long."**

"Is that dog hanyou still pestering you?  Give me the Shikon shards and I will defeat him!"  Again, Kagome began to resent the now inherent downsides in her plan.

"I don't have them, I've left them in my world lately, I'm sorry."  Kagome feigned a regret that was nonexistent, and hoped Inuyasha would come soon so she could complete her plan.  She found a few more obstacles to progress than she expected…

"Kagome, as my lady you will be the first to dine."  Were the words that began the next set-back.  Flattered, Kagome had accepted without further questioning.  She continued planning her special moment, when Inuyasha would fell the burning sensation in his chest as he saw the culmination of the plan…

Then of course, she saw the food.  Raw meat, every where, casually strewn across banquet tables, most, but not all of it skinned, every piece (if possible) redder than the blood spilling off the table.  Immediately she found herself the center of attention, all eyes fixed in preparation for a feast.  Hungry, Vacant stares bored holes in her as she asked to speak to Kouga in private.

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Inuyasha had finally battled his way through what seemed like hordes of wolves, only to enter the labyrinth of their lair.  He could no longer follow Kagome's scent, merely sound, which lead him through odd rooms and strange light letting areas.  Finally the communal eating chamber was found… and in it Kagome was by Kouga's side.

"Kagome!"  He called, but a sudden roar drowned him out as Kagome and Kouga exited.  And the very unhappy group of wolves turned to leave… discovering him.

Several of these wolves were high rank, so he paused to assess the situation… and was hit from behind by something small, followed by something large.  A small voice cam to his ears, Shippou.

"Inuyashaaaaaaa!!!  You said you would return with Kagome immediately, and then you stomp off here and leave me following you and being chased and…"  The little fox demon was cut off as he was thrown by a wolf-youkai to another wolf-youkai.

"He's a toy!"  One of them called out. "Let's play with him while the hanyou is defeated by our leader!"  Another called, obviously impressed with himself for coming up with such a solution.  The wolves, more interested in entertainment than in fighting, continued to toss poor Shippou back and forth as he called for Inuyasha to "stop them at once or I'll tell Kagome!"  along with various other threats and entreaties.  Inuyasha slipped through the path left for him and entered Kouga's "Office"  which served as a jail more than anything else, as evident by the iron door.

He entered to find Kagome, looking all too close to Kouga, and Kouga, looking all too much like he'd do anything she said.

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@ Ok, that's all for now… I think… I may write another chapter now if I get the right feel from my ideas… And for all those Inu-Kago fans, too bad for you, you'll have to read the story to know the end… Though technically I'm not real sure either! @


	3. Part I: Chapter 3

@ Ok, so to be honest, I really hadn't been planning to continue this story before I saw the reviews.  Then, I realized how pissed I was when someone left something hanging with one chapter, so I went back and reread the start I had on the second chapter, as well as the first chapter, and suddenly I found that I couldn't release the story… The Ideas kept coming!!!  So now I continue… @

Kagome's first fear was that Inuyasha would not come.  But her self-esteem would not let her believe her plan had failed, or he did not love her anymore.  That, and the memory of them together.  Painful as hearing him say Kikyou's name was, her jealousy confirmed her love for him, and his falling back into the well when she appeared with scentless makeup proved he cared for her.  His jealousy of Kouga was another example.  But the question was:  did he love her for her likeness to Kikyou, which he used to refute so often, or for herself, for the fact that she had a temper, for the way that she acted, for her studying and her arguing?  For the fact that she wouldn't let him carry the Shikon shards that were hidden under her dresser?  If he loved her for these things, then she knew everything would be all right…

Kagome's thought's were cut back into, and that second was over, that second she'd had between the roar of the wolves, unhappy about the delay in dinner, and the entering of the privacy with Kouga which she'd asked for.  The thing that brought her out of her trance was the discovery of an iron door, which creaked as it opened.

"Here it is, the most private place in all the caves.  It serves as office and occasionally as a jail for prisoners."  Kouga spoke quietly, which Kagome found more than unnerving.  "What was it you wanted to do that we had to be alone for?"  It was obvious that he was asking if she'd truly decided upon him and only him.

"I… Look, this is going to take some adjusting to, even with a wonderful strong youkai like yourself… But the first thing I need is edible food, and that means cooking.  Not just sitting by the fire for five minutes either…"  Kagome tried to flatter him whenever possible, and his look softened with each word of praise. "I know that someone as brilliant as a leader as yourself should have no problem doing this, and more."  Ok, so she admitted to herself that that was a challenge, but he seemed to like it even more, and moved closer to her.  Anticipating a sticky situation, Kagome prepared to pull away, but Kouga's eyes held her.  She began to think of the plan's effect on him…

Guilt set in quickly, and Kagome looked down, only to see that Kouga held a box in his hands, a box made of dried leaves glued with tree sap to wafer thin pieces of wood.  The leaves were reds and golds, from last fall.  The lid was made of flower petals, all of them neatly pressed and perfectly arrayed.  Kagome felt a pang, it was so wrong to do this to him…

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Inuyasha stared for a moment at Kagome and Kouga.  Kagome looked strange to him, she was not only done up in new clothes, but also her facial expression was not one from the Kagome he knew.  The Kagome he knew had shown few non-hostile emotions towards him.  There was glee, when something went right (or when she was with Shippou) and then there was heartache, when Kikyou was around, and a few other rare looks that might peek through her guards.  He couldn't remember many others.  The brief moment they'd shared before his slip, she had looked so tender and frail, and he'd wanted with all his heart to protect her forever.  But then the hostility returned, for she was angry that he could say that name at such a wrong moment.  Before he could search for more memories, or question his saying Kikyou's name, _something_ occurred which left his mind blank and devoid of intelligence.

Kagome took a small box from Kouga's hands, and embraced him.  And there were tears in her eyes.  _Joy?_  A part of him thought incredulously. _JOY?! I'm worried for her, and she's _enjoying _herself!  To the point that she's in TEARS?_  Coldness and stony resolve filled Inuyasha with a great determination to ruin this moment.

"I hope those are the Shikon Shards that he is giving us!" Inuyasha half-shouted.  Cold, dark, tear-filled eyes turned towards Inuyasha.

"YOU _made_ me do this! You, how could you?  Break my heart, and you've made me do the same, then you have the callous nerve to come in here and talk of the jewel?"  Suddenly Inuyasha understood- Kagome had been telling Kouga she didn't love him.  She had been sad…  And now she continued to cry even harder as another furious pair of eyes rotated to meet his.  Kouga's.

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The tears wouldn't stop flowing.  The moment she whispered the small, emotional "I'm Sorry…"  They had come pouring down.  Now, with Inuyasha and Kouga preparing to fight, Kagome felt very strange.

"That you could let yourself love two women is truly deplorable.  But to hurt the REAL LIVE woman of the two by not deciding was even worse.  And yet, Kagome endured.  But now you have driven her to tears, and this I just cannot allow, even if she does not love me."  Thus Kouga had spoken, followed by a formal challenge to a duel.  And Kagome, the object of this duel, was left in such a situation that she couldn't help but cry harder. _What do I do?  If I apologize or explain, I'll be admitting I was wrong, but if either of them gets hurt especially Inuyasha then… Only bad will come…_ With this she did realize even more so how much she cared and feared for Inuyasha.  Resolve fuelled her to try to stop the duel… Except Inuyasha and Kouga had left to prepare, and she suddenly realized that she had been locked in.

She banged on the door, calling for someone to let her out this instant.  And a dizzy little fox came down the hall…

"Kagome!  I'll get you out in a minute as soon as everything stops… OW!"  The little fox-youkai ran into the wall opposite the door.  "Stupid Inuyasha! Leaving me to be tossed about!"  Kagome froze for a second- what if the wolves came by after or while she escaped?  Shippou would be perfect!

"Shippou, can you imitate my form?  Then you can reach the lock."  When Shippou opened the door, looking as she normally did, she saw how much difference there was.  "Shippou, exactly how do I look now?"

Shippou became a mirror and she saw how good she looked despite a few stray wisps of hair and a slight tear in the side of her skirt.

"Come with me Shippou, we have a fight to stop."  Kagome said with such conviction the mirror flinched before it once again became Shippou.  As they ran through the halls which were empty in anticipation of the fight, Kagome thought more of how she would go about this.  She had to say something to each of them, so Kouga would revoke his challenge and Inuyasha would not feel so insulted as to challenge back.  Kouga was pretty straightforward, she had to explain that she did not want him to be hurt, for Tetsusaiga had great power.  She would also have to whisper that she didn't want Inuyasha hurt…

But Inuyasha would not respond to her asking him not to hurt Kouga, because he would blame her for coming here in the first place.  It seemed as if she would have to play Inuyasha "by ear".

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Shippou was very confused.  First Inuyasha runs off to the wolf den.  Then Kagome, all dressed up, is locked in a room.  Now they have to stop a fight.  Shippou WAS _very_ confused.  Kagome was now running off, lost in her thoughts, so he couldn't ask what had happened, though he thought he knew.  Inuyasha had screwed up, sending Kagome into the well.  Kagome had decided she wanted to stay with Kouga, so she had dressed differently and a lot of other stuff.  Kagome ran off to Kouga, Inuyasha followed.  Inuyasha said something bad to make Kagome mad.  Kouga and Inuyasha were going to fight because Inuyasha trespassed into the wolves' territory and communal cave.

OR Kouga kidnapped Kagome who stormed off because Inuyasha was mean and now they were fighting over her like she was an object.

Shippou was very confused!

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Inuyasha was a bit baffled.  He had been confused, surely Kagome would have seen _that much_ from his face, which had left open for her sake, even though Kouga was there.  But when Kouga turned on him, he _had _to look stern.  Wrong?  With a human woman in the right?  If anyone heard anything of the sort, HE would _never_ hear the end of it.  So Inuyasha had been challenged to a duel by the insignificant wolven-youkai leader, but that didn't mean much to him.  The Tetsusaiga could beat him even with his Shikon no Tama shards.

But would he really be protecting a human?  The human part of himself perhaps, but if Kagome wanted to _stay_ with the wolf pack, even not as Kouga's mate, then how much could it faulted.  Inuyasha knew he did love Kagome, and he had loved Kikyou, but could he say he loved Kagome any less or more?  Would it be better for Kagome if he let her go, whether it be to Kouga or to her own time?

Troubled, Inuyasha continued to watch Kouga warm up.  Kouga seemed different this time.  Could he have more shards?

"Yo Dog Turd, do you need instructions on warming up?" Kouga called.  He seemed to delight in every opportunity to make Inuyasha grumpy.  If it weren't for Kagome he wouldn't be in this situation.  Dealing with Kouga always struck a nerve in Inuyasha, right in the center of his spine, so that he wanted to mutilate something soon, preferable Kouga's face.

Kouga finished warming up, which he announced by zooming behind Inuyasha and taking Tetsusaiga.

"You won't be needing this, we're gonna fight on even ground.  I'll even remove my Shikon shards, since no _hanyou_ could handle me with them."  To prove his point, he took out all of the Shikon shards Inuyasha knew of.

"Don't touch my sword!"  Inuyasha took Tetsusaiga and punched him.  Thus the fight had begun.

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@ Hey, thanks to everyone who reviewed, thanks to the makers of FF.net, and hope I can continue soon! @


	4. Part I: Chapter 4

@ Hehe, Battle!  Can you wait?  The tension!  Here we go! @

Kouga had taken enough.  This idiot hanyou not only convinced poor Kagome that she loved him, but also forced her to go jewel hunting with him.  Not only that, but he also presumed to love another, which alone would be cruel to someone who loved him, and beyond that even he couldn't choose between the DEAD WOMAN, and precious Kagome.  Inuyasha had tortured her to the point of tears, and enough was _enough_.  Now, the battle had begun, and a fair fight it was.  Fair in that he, as Kagome's Champion, had kept his newest Shikon shards, allowing for the appearance of a fair fight in her absence.  He had left her locked in the iron room so that she couldn't be manipulated any further by the filthy _hanyou,_ or tell him the truth.

Kouga watched as futility drove Inuyasha further and further, never able to land a blow, as he repeated that same pattern, trying again and again to muster speed and strength he didn't have.  A hanyou could never compete with a full fledged shard enhanced youkai.  A sudden flicker in Inuyasha's eyes called Kouga's attention briefly to the surroundings, and he smelt Kagome.  He focused even harder on the fight at hand, but something had changed in Inuyasha as well, and in noticing Kagome his tactics suddenly changed.  The routine failed, and Kouga was struck hard, to the face.

Hard Rage filled him, and he darted in faster than ever before, struck stronger than ever before, and Inuyasha was struck to the ground a final time.

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Inuyasha glanced towards Tetsusaiga, pondering pondering the Shikon shards.  If Kouga had removed all of them, how was he so fast?  Another hit for Kouga.  Inuyasha felt the flare of false numbness, where a bruise would form later.  He was sure _something_ was different, and he felt as if Kouga knew his every move beforehand.  What Inuyasha needed was a new tactic, or a new style, something else in place of his current method.  Try as he might though, Inuyasha could come up with nothing, not one alteration on the current pattern.  So far he had managed to repeat (in many different ways) the pattern of dodge, block, miss, get hit, rise again.  The line between heavily beaten and peril of life grew steadily closer.  Though Inuyasha dreaded what would happen should he cross that line, it grew harder and  harder to get up.  He would not surrender though, not if it meant he could never be with Kagome again.

Down again, Inuyasha pulled himself up to catch sight of a figure behind Kouga, exiting the caves.  _Kagome…_ he thought, desperately searching for something to do, when it came to him, such a slight alteration that its results were certain.  Dodge, block, _feignt,_ dodge, _STRIKE_…  As he instituted his attack, he saw the changes in Kouga's expression, from boredom, to surprise, followed by pain, succeeded by fury.  A counterstrike caught him full in the diaphragm, and the breath left his lungs.  He heard two things before he lost consciousness, a quiet, whispered, "No…" as loud as if it had been in his ear, and his own final thought… "Kagome…"

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When Kagome arrive, having gotten confused a few time in the caves, the fight appeared to be drawing to a close.  Inuyasha had taken a beating, his face had scrapes on it and a line of blood trailed from the corner of his mouth.  What frightened her the most was the desperate look in his eyes.  He was searching for something, she knew that, but the question was what?  She looked toward Kouga and was filled with fury, a determined stride on her part split the crowd enough for he to move forward.  Kouga had Shikon shards!  Not only that, but he also hadn't a scratch on him.  As she moved forward though, suddenly his expression changed from the triumph to surprise.  She looked to Inuyasha, and was filled with pride as he moved forward faster and stronger than before.  She moved through the crowd as quickly as possible, to reach them and stop the fight on this high note.

But Kouga struck before she got there, and she stared as Inuyasha flew into a tree.  The crowd parted completely now, and she moved forward as fast as her legs would carry her.  When she reached Inuyasha, he was trying to rise, but he wasn't Inuyasha…

"No…" She whispered.  She thought she could hear his voice, one last time, before the demon part of him took over, _Kagome…_ but she knew it was her imagination.  And until Inuyasha took up his sword, he would be Inuyasha no longer.

She looked for Tetsusaiga; this could all be circumvented… with the sword, the sword!  It was gone…

Stolen…

@ I know the last bit isn't clear if you haven't seen/read all of the series, so I'll clarify:  In times where Inuyasha is in "peril of life," normally the Tetsusaiga suppresses his demon blood.  BUT if he doesn't have Tetsusaiga, then his demon blood causes him to "lose his sense of self" and basically he becomes somewhat like an unintelligent bloodthirsty Youkai. Note:  This chapter may be subject to revision if I find some of what I thought to be incorrect… @


	5. Part I: Chapter 5

@ After much searching, and all too little success, I have been unable to determine the exact circumstances under which Inuyasha will and won't transform into a demon/youkai or if the transformation is full except for memories.  IF ANYONE KNOWS, email me at caiista@netscape.net, or instant-message me at AIM screen name Caiista (also feel free to contact me at either of these at any time, with questions, suggestions, or anything).  Thank you for putting up with my confusion, and now on to the story… Tetsusaiga Stolen… @

**Kagome was still in shock when one of the wolf-tribesmen began shaking her.  She stared blankly at him for a moment, before finally recognizing a kind old wolf-youkai that she had met before, but could not recall the name of.**

**"Please, miss, Kouga said you were to fix this as soon as possible, and that he would hold Inuyasha in check for as long as he could."  Dimly aware of what was going on, Kagome glanced towards where she thought the fight was.  She saw flashes as Kouga and Inuyasha moved faster than her eye could see.  She could track Kouga by his Shikon shards, he was using all of them now, but still Inuyasha surpassed him, bit by bit, always with the leading edge, but only by such a small amount that the untrained eye would say it was even.**

**"Yes, Ji-san, I will need to find Inuyasha's sword, Tetsusaiga."  Tetsusaiga, with the power to seal his youkai blood with a youkai fang.  Tetsusaiga, the power to destroy youkai in favor of saving humans.  Could the human part of Inuyasha be saved by the youkai fangs that belonged to his father and he?  Or was it too late for him, one time too many, one minute too much?**

**Could the Youkai blood win?**

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**Kouga had been faithful, and had believed he could win Kagome's love by proving himself more considerate, more powerful, and more charismatic than Inuyasha.  But now he understood the truth.  It did not matter how much he engaged in her pursuit, how much attraction they felt, even if she were to reciprocate his as of yet unrequited love.  The link of _souls_ between Kagome and Inuyasha would always be greater, their love ever stronger, their passion deeper.  Were one of them to die, the other would wait for them for eternity.**

**As was the case for Inuyasha and Kikyou.  Only now, Kikyou had the soul's memories without the soul's love.  She would try to kill Inuyasha until her body of earth deteriorated beyond such repair that her only path would be that of eternal sleep.  Or she would kill Inuyasha, and thus Kagome would be left to wait for eternity.**

**But there was no way that he, Kouga of the youkai-wolf tribe could have Kagome as his own.  So he would serve her when she needed it, give her refuge from any kind of storm, and she would know that he would always be there for her.  This was why he was fighting a losing battle now.  It would be a slow loss, scratches here and there, followed by cuts and bruises until he was sufficiently weary to be unable to maintain the speed that kept him his life.  Then, if Kagome had not found the way to bring Inuyasha back, the youkai side of the man she loved would kill him.**

**Kouga continued to look for some weakness or error that could be used to buy time, but Youkai-Inuyasha was a killing machine.  Kouga began to lose hope.**

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**Kagome followed the old wolf's directions on which way Shippou's scent went, but honestly felt even more lost than before.  Why couldn't the kitsune have followed some sort of a pattern?  First to take the sword, then get lost?  What could be worse?  Giving it to a hostile youkai, perhaps, but that was it.  Poor Shippou, Kagome thought, sometimes he can get really confused.  She followed the sort of a trail that seemed to exist, making her way carefully along, trying not to get lost.**

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**Kouga was alert for any change in Inuyasha, but was not expecting the sudden change that came over him.  Inuyasha suddenly jumped back into a tree, ears pricked up, head turned to the side.  Kouga tried to think what it might be, when he caught a whiff of the men and women from a nearby village.  The tribute they brought was usually a small magical trinket of some sort, or when they could not afford one, one of the young village women to be wed to a wolfs seeking mate.  The later was the present case, he could smell her fear like a beacon…  And so could Inuyasha.  Again a sudden flash and Inuyasha was gone, bounding down along the lake edge towards the path (which was bordered on one side with cliffs from the mountain).**

**He then bounded up the cliff, as if running along vertical ground made no difference.  Kouga followed, hesitantly, for he feared Kagome would come back while he and Inuyasha were elsewhere.  But there was no way to get Inuyasha's attention that wouldn't risk his life, so Kouga simply continued to follow.  He fell behind when they hit the woods; Inuyasha had taken to the treetops, a much quicker route.  When he caught up to Inuyasha, it was too late for the towns-people.  They were completely shredded.  But Inuyasha looked elsewhere now, and Kouga too, caught a familiar scent.**

**Kagome.**

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**It was with great deliberation, and much confusion, that Shippou decided to hide Tetsusaiga.  He didn't think it would be good if a Wolf-youkai from the tribe stole it, after all.  He could not remember why he had thought they would steal Tetsusaiga, but it had something to do with his fear of them taking Kagome.  Racing along, Shippou did not pay very much attention, when he ran into a tree.  But this tree was not a tree, it was a plant youkai, and it had a disliking for kitsune, and an even greater disliking for blades.**

**This tree's regular practice in such situations was to move its roots to drop the annoyance into a pit.  But quick thinking upon Shippou's part, (if it was thinking, it may well have been instinct) had him drop Tetsusaiga into the pit for only Inuyasha would be able to retrieve it.  And, there was the additional bonus of him being able to escape the tree youkai.  Such a success it was for Shippou, he forgot how he'd come to be at the youkai tree.  Lost, he wandered about for a while, when he came across his trail finally.  Scampering back to the wolves and Kagome as fast as he could, he ran into something dripping in blood.**

**"Inu… Inuyasha?"  He asked, but then he saw the look on Inuyasha's face.  The eyes that thirsted for blood, ears pricked forward to hear every nuance of the sounds of rending flesh.  He realized then and there that they needed Tetsusaiga desperately, and thought of the hole in the ground it now inhabited.Then Shippou smelt what Inuyasha was facing, with that hungry look.**

**"Kagome!"**

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@ Hey, sorry for the delay, had LOTS of work to do…  and now I have more still! @


	6. Part I: Chapter 6

@  He-he, I love ending in cliffhangers! They make me so happy! (And they make me want to write more… so if you don't like cliffhangers, sorry, without them I can't write) J @

Kagome stared at Inuyasha, frightened.  Her fear was not only for herself, but for him, because she knew he felt so powerless over himself after transforming.  He would blame himself infinitely for anything that happened while he was transformed, especially things he did and things that happened to her.  If she were to die while he was transformed, she was sure that he would kill himself by letting Kikyou kill him.  This should never happen, not ever.  Inuyasha after all his torment didn't deserve it.

**Kagome pondered the actions she could take.  If she showed fear of any kind, he would surely strike.  Similarly, haughtiness too would result in his attack, for she remembered the first time he changed.  She debated, try to move, towards him or at a run away?  Find a way to talk to him, try to subdue his Youkai blood without Tetsusaiga?  She stared, picking out every feature of the scene that lay before her.  Ravenous Inuyasha, fixed upon her like an eagle upon its prey.  Frightened Shippou, inching away from Inuyasha and for all the world looking like a scared bunny.  Hesitant Kouga, not wanting to spur Inuyasha into action any more than she did.**

**Kagome shifted her weight ever so slightly, from one foot to the other.  That same instant a sharp pain in her shoulder and a sudden change from standing alone to being held in Kouga's arms told her the attack had come… And passed faster than she could see.  Her left shoulder was badly sliced and hurt more than she would have thought, but she knew from Kaede's teachings that it would heal fine, but she should bind it immediately.  All eyes were on her, especially when she tried to climb out of Kouga's arms on her own.  When she was in a funny position, Kouga smiled briefly.**

**Then his golden eyes rested upon her injured shoulder, and his expression became serious and his eyes became yellow tempests of fury.**

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Kouga stepped in front of Kagome, victim to the monster that stood before him.  No hanyou should be allowed to live that they might become the beast that stood before him now, the thing that could not feel, nor think, except of killing.  He didn't know if he could end her suffering by taking Inuyasha out of her life, but he would try.  If only she didn't love him, everything would be so much easier.  Kouga had to be careful, it couldn't look like he was trying to kill Inuyasha, then again, right now he couldn't even hold his ground.

"What do you need to stop him Kagome?  He has to be stopped soon!"  Kouga needed her to go, and soon.

"I need Tetsusaiga!  There's a spell upon the steel cleaving fang that helps to inhibit Inuyasha's Youkai blood!"

"Very well, hurry and get it!"

"Shippou!"  Kagome called, and the fox led her off.  As if Inuyasha perceived by some seventh sense what Kouga was thinking, he grinned a devilish half grin, and began licking his claws, waiting for Kouga to strike first.

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There was little organization of thought in Inuyasha's mind, mostly influences and temptations flashing before him.  The challenge had been issued by the wolf-youkai as the tempting girl-thing left, and Inuyasha had accepted, though he was sorely tempted to skip off and shred the creampuff that smelled like fox-youkai, the grass and dirt pervading a cool red-yellow-brown dormant beneath.  The creature had never unleashed its true power, and probably never would.  The wolf-youkai, however, was much nearer it's full potential, though weakened by the attraction to the girl thing that smelled so strongly it nearly overpowered his youkai-ness.  Inuyasha began to lick his claws, anticipating a tentative first strike from the wolf.

However, the wolf proved itself to have some skill, and Inuyasha was forced to dodge what might have been a deadly blow if not for its predictability once initiated.  Running his claws on some tree bark, he suddenly leapt up into the trees.  When he landed, it was slightly behind Kouga as to give him opportunity to rip out one of the shards.  He almost had it, when it slipped out of his grasp.  He left it lying on the ground, to provide an opportunity to attack.  Kouga would have to choose between fighting with such decreased speed, and providing the opening.  Thus it was that the death match continued.

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Kagome ran as fast as she could, dragging Shippou behind her and following his sporadic directions.  Left here, right there, around that boulder, past that ditch.  So little time…  When they reached the tree, she did not know what to do.  Gnarled slimy roots that writhed like worms when you touched them had covered the place where Shippou said the ditch was.  The air filled with an awful stench when she used Shippou as a shovel to try to dig.  So this is a Youkai tree… she thought.  So much for thinking of the Goshinboku "God Tree" as a kind old man, from this, Kagome was convinced that all trees were grumpy old hermits at heart.

"Shippou, ANY ideas?"

"Ummm… Hyaa!"  Shippou flew in the air and tossed something at the tree…  A piece of parchment that promptly turned to ashes, "Nope, sorry!"

Kagome decided to try one last thing.  She quickly whittled a makeshift arrow and bow, with a rubber band from her hair as a string, and shot the tree.  The roots quickly recoiled, and she climbed down to Tetsusaiga.  Then as quickly as it had opened, the roots shut.  Cold darkness surrounded her, and writhing worms began to fill the bottom.  Dirt began to rain down in showers, and she was trapped.  Her only hope was that Shippou could get to Kouga in time.

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@ Sorry about the delay in updates… Got kinda lazy… if I get enough reviews then I'll continue, but at the moment I'm feeling a bit iffy about the story… @


	7. Part I: Chapter 7

@ Sorry for delays, etc.  I had a ton of work, and very few ideas.  I THINK the flow is back… @

Shippou had never been a good runner, but somehow, seeing Kagome swallowed up by the ground in front of the Youkai tree had given him abnormal speed and clarity, the likes of such he would probably never experience again.  It didn't take long for him to reach Kouga and Inuyasha, but it took long enough that he was winded when he got there.  He sucked in breath between words as he spoke, and coughed occasionally,

"Kagome… trapped… by… youkai… tree… buried… alive… needs… help… co–"  Before Shippou finished what he was saying, Inuyasha whipped around and struck the fox, sending him flying like a stuffed animal at Kouga.

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**Kouga hardly thought when he stepped out of the way to avoid being hit by Shippou.  He didn't flinch, it was practiced, so only his quick thoughts made him reach out and catch the unconscious fox, and put him down beside a tree.  This action caused him to glance quickly at Inuyasha's nature.  Striking the fox hadn't been necessary, more of expedient.  Inuyasha WANTED to fight, without anything in the way.**

**Kouga steered off into the forest, dodging lightly whenever Inuyasha tried to hit him.  Suddenly Inuyasha darted ahead, and Kouga was surprised at the change in his approach. Coming forward, he was surprised to find something further odd was going on…**

**When he caught up with Inuyasha, he found the hanyoukai holding Kagome in the air by the scruff of her collar, she hanging limply, he looking at her disdainfully as if she were some sort of rag that had outworn its use.  Before he could kill her, Kouga snatched her out of his arms, laying her gently away from the youkai tree.  She was still alive, thank god for that, but he remembered hearing sometimes people became strange after near death experiences such as being buried alive.**

**Tetsusaiga was still buried, and although before Kouga had thought to kill this Inuyasha thing, if he could be reverted, that would be what Kagome wanted.**

**He dug up Tetsusaiga, ignoring as Inuyasha punched him, and dodging the few slashes.  Inuyasha seemed meeker by mere proximity to the sword, and when it was put in his hands, he just sort of stood there staring for a moment… Then he socked Kouga hard to the jaw.**

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**Inuyasha was a bit shocked when he was jolted back to reality.  When he found he was holding Tetsusaiga, it occurred to him what may have happened.  Worse it hurt to think what could have happened, but didn't.  Kagome was alive, he saw her before him, but she was hurt.  He punched Kouga, hitting his jaw hard and strong.  It was all that bastards fault, challenging him to a fight without Tetsusaiga.  But it hurt to think too hard, so afterwards he picked up Kagome, wandered away, and placed her in her bed, in her time.  Dazed, he realized his claws smelled like her blood, and so he want into her bathing room until he had the wall-faucet working.  He was himself over and over with that smelly soap stuff, but as if its fragrance was repulsed by blood, he could not smell it but for those few places untouched by the red stain.**

**He heard a sound and changed back into the tunic and pants, which he'd washed the best he could.  They were faintly brown tinged, more like they'd been soaked in tea than blood, but he knew the difference.  Still in shock, he just wanted this nightmare that his lfe had become to go away.  Before he knew what he was doing, he was at the "God" tree with the ancient weathered arrow Kikyou shot his heart with.  He was in Kagome's time, but even so, the arrows celestial potency could hold him in slumber.  He climbed to the top of the tree, imagining he heard Kagome calling his name.  He suddenly remembered the new moon, it was evening and he felt his powers ebbing away.  He decided to be quick about it, and shoved the arrow into his own heart.**

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**Kagome dreamt in that slim margin between life and death, and the time that follows, of only one thing.  When she was about to kiss Inuyasha, those words that started it all.**

**"I Love you, Kikyou."  Was that truly what he meant, or was he subconsciously saying something deeper, I love your soul, we'll never stop loving each other.  We've proven love transcends time.  Or was that her way of convincing herself she wasn't a substitute?  Her unconscious mind puzzled such things, until a piercing pain struck her, from between her shoulder blades to her very heart, and forward as if she'd been stabbed.  She awoke to see the sunset, and a faint wisp of silver through the leaves of the "God" Tree.**

**Her heart pounded, and in an instant she leapt out of the window, climbed down the roof and up the tree.**

**"Inuyasha…"  She came upon him, looking as peaceful as when she'd first met him.  And in his breast, the arrow which had once before captured him for fifty years.**

@ How is that?  Not too bad? Hehe, I FOUND IT! @


	8. Part I: Chapter 8

@ I think the story is going to be a lot longer than I originally thought, and may merit a change of title…  I just came up with a lethal twist, and well… Its really, REALLY, good! (I think)  We see how it goes… @

**Kagome was stunned, and truly she could not fathom what to do…  Inuyasha _on the tree again_… Inuyasha, halfway human, _on the tree again_…  His hair was black in patches, and though he was peaceful looking, his breathing grew labored.  She could think of only person who would understand this, and she was long dead and would never help.  _Oh how I wish this soul of mine knew what to do…_ She saw before her a man dying of the arrow he placed in his own chest… and that man was the one she loved.  Kagome kissed him lightly, then crossed the yard with inhuman speed, the priestess in her taking over.  Climbing back up to her room because going inside would take too long; she grabbed a small jar from under her desk.**

**She hurriedly gave Inuyasha the only remedy that came to mind, the Shikon shards, to hold him human while she took him to the hospital, hold him alive as his heart blood spilled upon the ground.  One small shard she took and embedded in her own chest, to link his life to hers, draw life from her in time of need.  She didn't know why she knew to do all this; perhaps she WAS like Kikyou after all.  Kikyou he said he loved.**

**In the hospital they asked no questions and she offered no answers.  If he seemed to take a wound well, she shrugged if they commented.  The questions would come, she knew, but later, when she would be able to think again, because Inuyasha would be all right.  She knew he would, because she could feel the faint pull on her energy.  Inuyasha would be fine…**

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**Inuyasha did not expect to awake, nor be aware of anything the happened once he pierced his heart. Yet somehow, something happened, and inexplicably he could feel the tear that dropped upon his hand, the kiss laid lightly upon his cheek.  He remembered the first time he left the tree, with the centipede demon, as, painlessly; the arrow was removed from his chest.  He sought a way to understand what was happening, but could find none.  Things darkened for a while, and then he awoke.**

**Instinctively he tried to smell if there were any youkai near, but he couldn't smell anything except the sterile smell that accompanied Kagome's antiseptics.  He opened his eyes, hoping to see her, but only saw a man, dressed in a white coat.  The man's back was to him, so he said nothing.  He was in Kagome's time, being treated in their fashion.  As soon as he swallowed, he coughed hard; he ached all throughout his torso.  Then it occurred to him that he was human at the moment.  Was it still nighttime?  He'd been found so soon?  Kagome…**

**The doctor turned around.  "Ah, you're up I see.  You shouldn't try to move or anything.  That girl who came in with you was finished being treated a while ago for a shoulder wound, but she lost some blood.  She wants to see you.  Should I let her in?"  Kagome here…**

**"Yes…" He meant to say, Yes, let her in!, but a spasm of coughs prevented him from completing the sentence.  Inuyasha hated being human.  He could control his body, couldn't even take an arrow without help from doctors.**

**Kagome came in, and she looked pale.  The gold was gone from her hair, the make-up gone from her face.  She also looked so much more serious, and unhappy… like Kikyou.  Would she feel that this arrow had been hers, and blame herself?**

**"I…. Inuyasha…. I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have gone off, and it's my fault, what happened, not yours."  Kagome looked down as she spoke.**

**"Kagome… Don't say that.  It's as much my fault as yours… and I'm sorry… for saying Kikyou, and for everything else."  Inuyasha didn't know what it was, but saying this made him feel a lot better.  Kagome sat down next to him in silence.  Maybe it wasn't so bad being human when he was with her.  Inuyasha wondered… If he could've stayed as a human, could he stay with her in her time… not have to put her through such danger?**

**He fell asleep after a while, something he didn't normally do in a completely new environment such as the hospital.**

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**After a while Inuyasha fell asleep, and Kagome sat, wondering what would happen next.  She didn't really know what affect the shards would have on Inuyasha… or herself.  She was really relying purely on instinct.  Her shoulder was sore, but for some reason didn't seem to be as bad a wound as it should have been.  However it also did seem to have soaked through quite some bit of the bandage.   The real mind boggler was how she kept noticing things… like she'd hear what people were saying down the hall and around the corner.  Was she getting a more acute ear from training or from the shard?  She could tell that she had been right with the instinct that Inuyasha would be able to draw on her for energy if she had a shard as well.  She could practically feel his pulse, in synch with her own, where she'd placed the shard.**

**She watched the moon for a while, then turned her chair so that he could lay half on the chair, half on the bed, and she liked being closer to Inuyasha like that.  Curled up tight, with her head leaning on Inuyasha's shoulder, she fell asleep.**

**When she awoke, Inuyasha was sitting up, looking nervous.  He stared at his hands, as if they were still stained with blood.**

**"What is it?"  She asked quietly.**

**"I'm… It's morning… I'm still human… I'm not even… turning back…" He said it in pieces, like it was too hard to say as a whole.  Kagome was silent for a moment… then she spoke slowly…**

**"Inuyasha… I gave you Shikon shards, all we had but one… You would've died otherwise, as a human, with an arrow through your heart, an arrow that didn't have a spell to hold you as a demon!  I had to…" She spoke at different volumes, blurting all of it, and then ending in a whisper.**

**"Kagome…"**

**"Look, we'll just go and we'll see Kaede and…" She was cut off as the doctor entered the room.**

"I'm afraid neither of you will be going to this miss Kaede or anywhere else for a week.  Miss Higurashi, your tests came back a bit strange, we need to hold you, and see if your collarbone is broken near your shoulder.  You sir, have yet to give a real name, and will need at least a week before you can even get out of bed."  The doctor said with a note of finality.

**Kagome looked at Inuyasha, then punched the doctor in the face, knocking him out.  Then she wondered why she did it, and realized the link was more than life energy, it seemed to be personality too.  She shrugged at Inuyasha when he gave her a quizzical look, then asked.**

**"Are you up to leaving this antiseptic he11 hole?"  She wasn't sure why she was getting his personality at the moment; perhaps as he drew more energy, she drew more personality…  Meanwhile Inuyasha just stared at her.**

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**A little dubious of the change in Kagome, Inuyasha thought it wise to say nothing.  He couldn't really understand what the shards had done, but suddenly he found himself with a choice…  He could try and stay human like this, maybe stay in Kagome's world.  At the moment that really appealed to him…  He could not only fulfill his promise to Kikyou with Kagome, but he could also live in a time that Naraku didn't…  But there was his revenge… But there was Kagome…  Torn, Inuyasha conflicted in more than one way.**

**They left the hospital; all the while he grew weaker.  Kagome, too, showed signs of stress.  Sweat beaded on her forehead, and he was able to see her pallor even with his weak human eyes…  She slowed down as they reached her house.**

**"How're you feeling?"  She seemed to be back to her ordinary self.**

**"Fine.  Stop looking at me like I'm about to collapse, you look worse than I do."**

**"Well, then I won't worry about you."  Nope, not normal, still very temperamental.**

**They went into the well, and on the other side were met by a very worried Miroku, Sango, and Shippou.**

**"Where've you been?  Shippou talked of Inuyasha going all… you know… and Kagome being buried alive, and all he found when he awoke was Tetsusaiga, and angry wolf tribesmen."  Sango was VERY to the point.  Explanations took a while, and were generally very embarrassing.  After they'd been sitting for a while, Kagome began to return to her normal self.  Since they had also explained to Kaede, they all looked to her at the end.**

**"So what do we do old hag?"  Inuyasha asked.**

**"If you call me that I won't tell you anything, but besides that this is your descision.  I can't hazard a guess as to how to reverse the effects of the Shikon shards, or what will happen if we remove them, since Kagome's celestial power is involved."**

**All eyes were on Kagome now, and flustered, she tried to explain…**

**"Well… uhm… I just did what instinctively came to me, because you know… I thought he might die… so now, I really just don't know what to do… But I don't think he should try to fight now, he at least has to heal first."**

**The outcome of the discussion amounted to the idea that while healing, Kagome and Inuyasha should go to her world, but they should also take Tetsusaiga with them.**

**As the party left the cottage to head for the well, Shippou announced something rather disturbing…**

**"Uhm… I smell Youkai… lots of Youkai…"**

**A Saimyoushou flew overhead.  As they cleared the lines of the trees, they came upon the Youkai, clustered about the well.  There were hundreds of them.**

@ I'm not sure if I'm going to keep this chapter, it may change drastically depending upon what people think, so please review even if you don't normally review, and let me know changes I should make, and how well you liked it.  For longer responses, please email me at Caiista@netscape.net @


	9. Part I: Chapter 9

@  Oh, I bet you're all wondering what will happen… Too bad I am too… MUST WRITE!!! @

**As yet unspotted, Inuyasha and the others retreated into the forest.**

**"What do we do?  We can't fight them.  Maybe if we return to Kaede's?"  Miroku asked.**

**"No, it's pretty obvious from the Saimyoushou and everything else that not only is Naraku involved, but he also knows exactly what is going on.  Our only choice is to fight them."  Inuyasha said quietly.  "Kagome, I want you to stay back here."**

**"Not a chance.  You'd have to tie me up and then I'd STILL hop out onto that field to try to help."  Kagome was being her usual but _stubborn_ self.  Frustrated, Inuyasha glared at her.  This was hard for him already, and she just went and made it harder.  He probably could've protected her id he had at least his powers, but he didn't even have those.  He felt so helpless he could just keel over and die, except that would leave Kagome with even less between her and them.**

**"Maybe you can still use Tetsusaiga Inuyasha…" Shippou offered, his strange way of looking at things showing through.**

**"Even if I can, I can't sense the Cutting Wind, or anything, to be able to use it well, and I'm so slow they'd be behind me after I took two steps.  Still I guess it would be a help."  Inuyasha pulled out the blade and scowled, nothing happened.  He glared at Shippou briefly, then sheathed the Steel Cleaving Fang and tossed it to Kagome.  "Maybe that will keep you from dieing out there even if I can't.  Stick with Kirara and Sango as much as possible."  He scowled and rose.  "We might as well get this over with."  And without another glance he leapt out faster than a human could, taking one Youkai's sword and slaying him with it.**

**He was having a hard time as they surrounded him, and looked to see Sango, Kagome and Miroku were having equal amounts of trouble.  His chest ached unbearably, but with a burst of strength he didn't know he had, he slew five youkai with one stroke.**

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**Kagome felt strange currents of energy as the fight began.  She felt energy being taken and given to Inuyasha, but also the strange rippling that occurred around Kikyou, where her soul was pushed and pulled like waves on the ocean.  Distracted by this, she only just barely blocked one Youkai's blade with Tetsusaiga, faster than she thought she could… The Shikon shard's work?**

**She had used half her arrows, so she just slammed Tetsusaiga with sheath into the Youkai's stomach… And saw it come out the other side.  How had she gotten so strong?  One shard couldn't be this powerful…  Something was going on, something that she couldn't fathom.  A quick glance told her Inuyasha was in trouble, and, surprisingly there were not many Youkai between her and him.  She ran towards him, shooting arrows at each Youkai in the way, then pulling out arrows from dead Youkai she passed.  In the blink of an eye, she was against his back.**

**"Idiot, I can't leave you alone for a second."  She had definitely taken on his personality, she thought as she looked back at how reckless she'd just been.**

**"Kagome, you're the Idiot!  Now if something happens to me, you're alone!"  She could tell though, that he needed the relief of a fighter at his back, because the pull from him was getting stronger.  He probably hadn't ever had to pace himself because of a wound, much less fight this hard in human form.**

**The rippling in the background continued, growing stronger.  She paused looking about for the source… Kikyou?  Or something else…**

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**Inuyasha ached all over, when the Youkai started to get the upper hand.  He continued to swing the stolen sword about, but slower and weaker.  He wasn't watching for it, but in a sudden burst twenty or so Youkai fell, including many nearby.  The Kagome was behind him, still rapidly firing arrows as she leaned against him lightly.  She had moved so fast Inuyasha was unable to see her… What was going on?  Kagome of all people… Killing Youkai left and right?  Miroku had absorbed maybe half the number that Kagome had killed on her own.**

**Inuyasha and Kagome continued to hack through their opponents, and just as they started to thin, a Saimyoushou flew overhead, and a familiar voice echoed around them…**

**"So it's true then… you ARE stuck as a human, and you do care ever so much about this puny well…"**

**"Naraku!"  Echoed amongst our heroes.  Inuyasha couldn't take a fight with Naraku right now… Not NOW!  And all the others were in bad shape; the only one who was motioning to fight was Kagome, who in turn was very pale with sweat running down her face and the blood of Youkai in her hair.**

**"Oh don't worry Inuyasha, you won't have to fight me, I promised you to someone else…  I'll just be taking little miss Jewel Holder with me…**

**And faster than Inuyasha could see Kagome was gone… Replaced with Kikyou and another slew of demons, facing respectively him, and the others…**

@ Ahahaha!!! And another twist!  The plots the plots! (Excuse me while I go mad because I must continue writing….)  Bet you just hate me for this! (Poor Inuyasha is having a bad day… And it's going to get worse…)@


	10. Part I: Chapter 10

@ I don't want to hold you back, so I'll be brief!  Review and help me keep the flow… @

**Kikyou had waited a long time for this in many ways.  Waited a long time for Inuyasha to become human.  Waited a long time for the opportunity to make him hers forever.  Waited oh so long to be able to get Kagome out of the picture.  And now, she had the opportunity…  He was human, by some method, he would be hers, that had been seen to… And Kagome was whisked away by Naraku.  Too bad for Naraku that Inuyasha had more of the Jewel than Kagome… He could reclaim it from their corpses.**

**She stared at him, wounded in the chest, weak from battle, and utterly prepared to go rescue Kagome.  She followed as he ran through the woods in the direction Naraku went, waiting for him to overexert himself.  Waiting had become so habitual for her, chasing after the same man, looking for the perfect opportunity.  But it didn't matter that he could still run like this for days, didn't matter that he had not even glanced at her, his eyes locked on Kagome, his throat paralyzed from shock.  He would be hers.**

**He stopped to rest, and she sat down silently beside him, conjuring an image of Kagome to surround herself.**

**"What's wrong Inuyasha?  Are you daydreaming?"  She said, imitating the innocent sickly sweet tones that grated at her whenever Kagome spoke.  The idiot girl presumed to love the man who only used her to gather shards, who only cared that she held the soul he loved.  When Naraku killed Kagome the soul would return, and then she would exact her revenge and love upon foolish Inuyasha.**

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**Inuyasha chased after Naraku, cursing himself for not having kept her safe.  He should never have let her fight, never have gotten her into this mess, and again it would be his fault if she were hurt or… If she hated him for not stopping Naraku, for letting Naraku take her away.  He fretted as he ran, breath coming in gulps, lungs on fire, heart nearly pounding out of his chest.  Finally he came to a pause, and he dreamt Kagome sat next to him, only she spoke as if she were a love-smitten village girl…**

**"What's wrong Inuyasha?  Are you daydreaming?"  A forced smile accompanied the words.  Was this how girls in Kagome's time acted?  He ignored the apparition for a moment, then remembered what Naraku had said… "I promised you to someone else…"  It was Kikyou he suddenly realized, and her guise vanished.**

**"I followed you all this way.  As soon as Kagome dies, and my soul is returned, we'll depart together, and share hell for an eternity.  We won't have to worry about the Shikon jewel anymore.  We can have peace."  She looked old then, as if the fifty years really had passed, and she wore the skin of a younger girl.  Repulsed, Inuyasha stood and backed away.**

**"Kagome isn't going to die…Not today, and not because of me!"  He told her, and he dashed onward, black hair streaming…**

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**Kagome was a bit shocked to be whisked upwards by Naraku, and a bit afraid.  But mostly, she was angry.  He comes, he bars her way home, and just as they're getting close to the well, HE comes along.  Bringing Kikyou, no less.  So basically, the first thing she tried to do was beat him until he let go of her.  The first thing he did then, was drop her.  She fainted on the way down.**

**He must have broken her fall, for when she awoke, she wasn't hurt.  At all.  Her shoulder wound, gone.  So, he did something, the Shikon shard did something, or she'd been there a long time.  She wasn't sure which it was, when she noticed Tetsusaiga in her hands.  From the bruises on her hands, it looked like someone tried to pry it out of her grasp, and couldn't, so that mostly ruled out the passing of a large quantity of time.**

**Intuitively Kagome knew the Shikon shard had done something to her.  She just hoped it wasn't going to go further, if it was what she thought it was…**

**Her introspection was interrupted by the opening of the door.  Kagura stood in the doorway, her fan out.**

**"You will give me the Shikon Shards and the sword, and then you will die, you filth…"**

**"You certainly are quite a windbag Kagura.  I'm not going to do either.  You're going to give me the keys to every door in the house, after you taste the Steel Cleaving Fang!"  And Kagome drew Tetsusaiga, which transformed at her will.**

@  Tetsusaiga's new wielder… The Priestess of the Youkai blade! @


	11. Part I: Chapter 11

@ I am afraid I just could leave the story long without giving it a proper cliffhanger… @

**Kagome had already known she wouldn't win when she began the fight.  But that wasn't why she was fighting, to win.  She was fighting to escape, to reverse what she'd done… Even if there was a newfound sense of power in being the equivalent of quarter Youkai, she didn't know what might truly happen, and she didn't want to find out at the cost of Inuyasha…**

**So as she mostly blocked his attacks and dodged miasma, she circled to the door, being reminded somewhat of something, but unable to pinpoint what…**

**She reached the door, and began to back out into the courtyard, when Naraku began laughing.**

**"Did you honestly think I'd let you escape?  Oh, joy!  I've defeated your hanyou boyfriend every time we've fought, and you thought, that unskilled and untried, the Tetsusaiga would allow you to escape?"  And Naraku started to whip her with miasma, leaving dark welts on her arms and legs where it burnt through her clothes.  Then she remembered Inuyasha's fight with Kouga, impossible odds and hidden advantages… Inuyasha had been destined to fail, and now so was she, caught in a pattern.**

**She half gave up, and lunged, hoping against hope that something would aide her…**

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**Inuyasha was fleeing Kikyou as much as he was chasing Naraku.  He couldn't, WOULDN'T do the same thing with Kagome and Kikyou as soon as given the opportunity…  For he knew, that when they were locked into an embrace and heading to hell, the only name in his mind would be Kagome's.  And yet, somehow, as Kikyou descended embracing him from behind, he was caught, and could only say those dreadful words.**

**"I love you Kagome…"  He whispered hoping that she who had this corpses soul could hear his words…**

**Kikyou, meanwhile, reacted in such a different way than Kagome that he recoiled at how disgusting she'd become.  Kikyou the woman and priestess had cared only for others, Kikyou the corpse cared only for herself.  She screamed names at him, and threw things, appearing a banshee in a kimono.  Her face was contorted beyond all beauty, a mask of human evil's epitome.**

**He looked her in the eye and asked,**

**"When did you stop loving me?"  She immediately quieted, and then, softly,**

**"The day you chose her.  The day you left what was to be an eternal sleep.  The fifty year anniversary of our death-day…  All of these, and more, are your answer.  Because you left me waiting at the alter of hell for a groom who walked the land of the living."  He couldn't just leave her, after she said that, and as he moved to comfort her, she wrapped her arms around him.**

**And he was paralyzed.**

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**Miroku and Sango battled Youkai after Youkai, being overwhelmed faster than they could have thought possible.  Now they were trapped. Kirara was knocked out.  Were they too doomed?**

@  I'm about to get really busy, so I may not be able to update until this weekend… @


	12. Part I: Chapter 12

@ Oh dear… Let me say firstly, for those of you who were reading, I am very sorry for just having dropped off from writing.  It's been a few months, and so I don't remember exactly where I was going… But I know where to go now! @

**Inuyasha tried to speak, to say something to get Kikyou to release him, but something held him back aside from the paralysis.  He saw the ground beneath him shifting, fluctuating with red glow, and was aware of heat, when suddenly he and Kikyou were sent flying forward, and she released him.  He pulled himself up slowly to see the last person he would expect to see.  Sesshou-maru.**

**"My brother is not destined for hell by your hand undead wench.  Leave his death to me when I so choose and I will let you live… Or continue to follow your twisted ways anyway…"**

**"I have power to slay demons greater than you… But then, your claim came before mine, so I will have to exert revenge on some other creature."  And, somehow using her hell power and celestial knowledge, she disappeared into the ground beneath her.**

**Inuyasha studied his brother, and then saw the cause of his change… A girl stepped out from behind him, but not an old girl, a child of around the age of ten… "Is she why you saved me?"**

**"Rinn suggested it, yes."  And then Sesshou-maru did something even less expected… He SMILED.  Teeth showing and everything.  Then he let Rinn climb up and sit on his shoulders, and he floated off, waving…  Boggled, Inuyasha stared for a moment, then continued in Naraku's direction… He hardly noticed all his wounds were healed.**

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**Sesshou-maru strange behavior did not extend to Inuyasha exclusively.  Rinn had adored the kitten Kirara for a long time, and had requested that he save the "kitty and her friends" too.  Sango was more than a little puzzled by Sesshou-maru, for her sibling relations were cherished, not occasionally enacted as with the dog-demon family.  Miroku thanked him graciously and politely.  Then he scrutinized the youkai and Rinn carefully, trying to determine the nature of their relation… And he simply couldn't.**

**The Tensaiga, which had been a strong tool in saving both Inuyasha and Kirara, also managed to help close the ripping on the edges of Miroku's wind tunnel from dealing with such massive numbers of demons.  Sango's left arm, formerly hanging limp at her side, was now merely stiff.  Shippou was awakened, once they found him hanging from a limb of a nearby tree.  And once Sesshou-maru had appeared, many of the youkai had fled.  All were now gone.**

**"Where's Inuyasha?"  Asked Sango once they were safe.**

**"He's headed off that direction."  Sesshou-maru waved a hand far, and towards the east.**

**"Thank You." Sango said quietly as she lead them through the forest towards another confrontation.**

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**Inuyasha barely felt the ground beneath his feet, barely saw the trees around him.  He just knew where he was headed.  Towards Kagome.**

@ I know it's short, but I'm REALLY out of practice writing Fanfics, or ANYTHING to be published. @


	13. Part I: Chapter 13

@PLEASE REVIEW!  I don't care if you write gibberish, it still lets me know that someone actually cares whether or not I put in the effort to write…@

**The sun was beginning to set as Inuyasha ran, his heart screaming, through the dense forest.  The trees were a blur, and conscious thought began to return.  He wondered if he'd ever show Kagome the jeweled pool, if he'd feel her soft lips again, if he'd get there before…**

**He knew she was alive, their pulses were throbbing as one, and he could sense that she was in pain through the Shikon shard connection.  And still he could only hope, and only run with more speed than a human could possess; still less than if he were a hanyou again.  Briefly he toyed with the idea of sending or pulling energy.  But he only knew how to pull, and he did not wish to endanger Kagome any further.  He felt helpless, as he had been with his mother…**

**Glancing up briefly, he noted that the sky had turned a blood red, and he began wishing again.**

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**Kagome was continuing to fight Naraku, when she felt the rippling again… Kikyou!  Distracted, she was hit by a rough blow to the face, and she felt blood run down her cheek.  Suddenly a voice called out,**

**"Stop!  She only has a small sliver of the jewel, allow ME to kill her, then you may have the part of the jewel, and I get her body and soul."  Kikyou appeared from seemingly nowhere to stand between them and interject.  Kagome was beginning to feel woozy already, what with the soul being pulled from her, and she was battered from battle.**

**"Very well, you shouldn't have any trouble finishing her…" Naraku began, but was cut off by a shout as Inuyasha ran out from the woods, his uniform drenched in blood from his recent injuries.  However, Naraku was already leaving, and Inuyasha was too worried for Kagome to follow.  Kagome was about to speak, when suddenly thing spun further out of control, and she fell into Inuyasha's arms.**

**"Oh, and by the way, my compliment on withstanding the poison longer than anyone else ever has."  Fading hearing brought Naraku's snide comment to her as she lapsed out of consciousness.**

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**Inuyasha was a pale color when he returned to Kaede's hut holding a limp Kagome in his arms.  He'd felt this helpless a few times before, but this time it seemed no matter what was done, Kagome really WAS going to die.  Even as he entered Kaede's hut, he felt Kagome pulling energy from him, but with such a feeble grasp.  While Kaede and Sango consulted with one another, he just stared at her, lost.  Finally Kaede tapped him on the shoulder.**

**"We have several courses of action.  I have an herb that will contain the poison, but the areas already contaminated will fester until an antidote is unearthed.  I do not know how long that would take, and if the poison is too concentrated in her brain, it may damage her mind.  I also have another herb that will make her body fight off the poison, however, in that hyper-sensitive state, it may go so far as to attack itself, fight itself with the antitoxins for the poison.  There is no risk free way to go.  I think that I should leave this decision to you."  Kaede spoke in subdued tones, then allowed Inuyasha to think before answering.**

**"I think… that we should stop the poison from spreading."  Inuyasha finally decided.  Kaede then pulled out a little vial of a milky white mixture, and poured it into Kagome's open mouth.  Kagome was breathing harshly, and she struggled to swallow.  For a moment, she seemed to freeze.  Then Inuyasha realized that she'd stopped breathing.**

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@ Oh dear, I do EVER so love cliffs. Please Review! @


	14. Part I: Chapter 14

          @Ok, I've been really lazy, but I got a review alert and finally remembered… anyway, here goes:@

Kagome felt herself floating in a distant land, but she couldn't see… she knew that there was somewhere she needed to be, someone she needed to be with, but somehow she could not remember…  A shadow flickered, darker than the darkness in front of her, both her and not her, and she tried to discern who it was…

**A sudden flash of light erupted before her, and another.  Something pulled her away as she tried to see what was going on. Frightened, she broke from the grasp of what was holding her until she came to a window, clouded but clearing.**

**Looking out, she saw herself, not breathing, pale and lifeless.  Inuyasha knelt before her, shuddering and pleading with her to live.  Sango sat on the floor with silent tears, Shippou bawling in her lap.  Miroku had his arms gently around Sango's shoulders, and he too was crying.**

**"Please, please Kagome, just live, I'll do anything for you, anything.  I'll never yell at you, never get mad, I'll die for you Kagome, just live…" Inuyasha's voice was harsh and choked from crying… funny, she'd never seen Inuyasha cry before.  Kagome couldn't quite place what caused this detachment, when suddenly the Kagome in the room opened her eyes…**

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Inuyasha had thought his prayers were answered when Kagome opened her eyes… But something seemed amiss when she gazed at him speculatively.  Her air was familiar, but not at all that of Kagome…

"What?"  She asked, and he recognized it immediately.  It was somehow Kikyou in Kagome's body.

"You're not Kagome."  He said flatly, unsure of what to do… It was Kikyou, alive again… but Kagome…  It was clear which of the two was more faithful, Kagome had stayed by him even when she thought he did not love her, whereas Kikyou would, at the mere mention of Kagome, fly into a violent rage.  Still there is something to be said for first love, and Kikyou still held that place.

"So you know it's me.  I thought you might figure it out."  Her voice was cold even with the benefit of Kagome's innocent appearance.  Sango and Miroku were staring at her, Shippou hiding behind Kaede, who looked grim.

"So sister, in her weakened state you took the opportunity to possess her."  Kaede asserted.

"I have a proposition… I will return Kagome to her body, and Inuyasha will die, since he said he would die for her.  His life for hers."  Kikyou spoke bluntly.

"What about the poison?"  Inuyasha asked.

"She'll have the same chance with the poison as she had before I intervened."

"And if we don't accept?"  Miroku asked.

"Then I rip her heart out using her own bare hand, allowing her to feel every ounce of pain I can grind into her own flesh, and allowing all of you to see her spirit as it writhed in pain."  Kikyou grinned.  "Do you need an example?"  And as she spoke Kagome appeared, like a ghost, out of nowhere, her luminescent self shivering as if afflicted with the fever the poison was causing.  She seemed only marginally concerned with them, staring intently at Kikyou who held a spell-casting jewel in the palm of her hand.  She took the sharp point of the teardrop shaped stone and drove it into her hand.  Kagome could be seen to grasp her hand in agony, her lips shaped into a silent then softly heard scream as it rose in volume, heard as if from a great distance.  Kikyou continued to twist the stone, as it grew red with blood.

"Stop, just stop… I'll do it if you'll cure her of the poison and the harm you've caused her."

"Done."  Kikyou said, and the cut began to vanish, the stone having been spelled for a great many things.

It was a grim procession that walked to the place where everything began, Kikyou's chosen place for the 'reunion' as she referred to it.  Kagome's ghostly spirit wandered not far behind her, spellbound.  Loose in Kikyou's grip hung Kagome's bow and an arrow.  In her other hand was a sword, which had a faint ill feel about it to the group.  _What is it for? To further kill me?_ Inuyasha wondered.  The spirit-form Kagome seemed to be fading, and when questioned, Kikyou said simply,

"She's been too long away.  Best we hurry."  But continued at her meandering languid pace.  Slowly Inuyasha seemed to grow more and more resigned to his fate.  He stopped looking back at Kagome's spirit, only forward at the Goshinboku tree.  Kikyou lead him to stand with his back against the tree, but he kept his face angled downwards, expression indecipherable.

She then held up her bow, and laughed, "Our souls will be united in hell beloved!"  As she spoke a look of shock came to Inuyasha's face… Kagome possessed her soul right now…

Before anyone could move a blinding light came forth from the bow as Kikyou released her most powerful arrow ever.  It affixed Inuyasha to the tree, holding him there as Kikyou drew up the sword and began it plunging towards her heart, Kagome's heart.  At the same time Kagome's spirit returned to her body and a look of shock came over her face because she could not control her actions, only her face.  During the brief instant when time held her hands from plunging the sword, she cried,

"Inuyasha!"


	15. Part I: Chapter 15

@I put some thought into the sequencing of this, and so I hope it makes sense…@

For Kagome, everything happened in heartbeats. 

Ba-dum: Something happened to Inuyasha.  Slumped further down, his hair, dark from human form, began to turn slowly to the pure silver with blue tints that dominated his hanyou form.  The sword began to move, swinging towards her heart, and hope and fate fought a vicious battle for Kagome's consciousness.  Hope for Inuyasha and herself, Fate weighing heavily upon her, the feeling of destiny.  And the overwhelming surge of inexplicable pity for Kikyou.

**Ba-dum: Another heartbeat in her racing pulse, and Kagome's vision turned scarlet.  The sword point touched her chest, cold and weighty, it's force bringing it so it would soon bury itself in her.  Inuyasha breaks free of the tree, terror written across his face like a message.  Miroku and Sango turn to look at Kagome.**

**Ba-dum: Scarlet no longer, Kagome only sees black.  She wonders if she is dead or alive…**

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Little by little, Sango realized what was happening.  A bolt of lightning or wood, she could not tell, flew from Kikyou's bow.  Staring, Sango watched Inuyasha's face seem to darken as death or slumber fell over him like a mask… but just before that there was shock.  Now he was losing his humanity, his hanyou ears appeared and he shot off the tree faster than she could follow just as she turned to look at Kagome, sword poised just before her heart…

Inuyasha, who was suddenly there, was holding Kagome, and she was bleeding…

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Inuyasha could not describe all the images and thoughts that flew before his eyes… First seeing Kagome, running from the centipede monster… seeing her in all her "make-up" beautiful as a queen…  and realizing that he loved her more than anything, anyone, more even than he had ever loved Kikyou.  Kikyou was his childhood sweetheart, and Kagome his one true love, the woman who on her world would have been his wife…  How could something so fated end?

He felt it as the arrow hit him, the reawakening of power he once knew so well, a part of him again.  He felt his claws return, his REAL ears.  This was what he was supposed to be.  He launched off the tree, ignoring the arrow, it's power like a mere mortal in comparison to the godly forces that moved him now.  He sprang forward, fearing in spite of hope that he was too slow.  But somehow time seemed to shift and change, and he was swifter than wind, and mightier than any Youkai.  He batted the sword from Kagome-Kikyou's hands, and held Kagome in his arms… In spite of all this, still, she bled…

He placed his hand upon the wound, willing it to heal… and then, realizing it was only a scratch, found Kagome staring at him.

Inuyasha removed his hand quickly as soon as he realized what happened, but Kagome was still staring at him.

"Uhm… I'm… Uh…" Inuyasha tried to explain himself, when suddenly the warmth of her mouth blocked his.  She had thrown her arms around him, and was kissing him full on the mouth.  Dazed, he could only respond by kissing her back.

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SMACK!  The loudly audible sound cut through Kagome's revelry in Inuyasha's soft, well shaped lips.  Sango was staring angrily at Miroku, who had the look of "Monkey see, Monkey do" written all over his face, if such a thing can be.  Then a flying fur ball assaulted Kagome; Shippou had obviously been worried about her.  After that she couldn't get a moment alone with Inuyasha because all of the others (including him) were too insistent that they go see Kaede, who hadn't come along for Kikyou's little outing as Kagome.

Still, all the way back (this time in control of her own body) Kagome could only think of Inuyasha, of their kiss, and how things were looking brighter today.

@Hmm, dunno if I'll write more or not, that works pretty well as an ending… Please Review, and thank you for reading! @


	16. Part II: Chapter 1

@Ah, another sumptuous plotline.  I'm feeling creative, and at the same time I feel a bit of collage is in order.  Some of this may seem a bit cliché, but it's not been done with Inuyasha yet, so here goes. @

The removal of the crystal shards was slightly painful for Kagome and Inuyasha, but hardly an ordeal compared to the past few days, during which they'd been up day and night, regardless, and paid no attention to sun or moon.  Now near midnight, after Kagome was checked over and found to be fine, Kaede used some weird incantation to make the Shikon shards extract themselves.  With six people in the house Kagome and Inuyasha had no privacy, but still she curled up against him to sleep, Shippou declaring his own little spot on Inuyasha's chest against Kagome's head.  Inuyasha made only slight passive attempts to make him leave his burrow in Kagome's hair, but overall he gave up quickly.  Kagome had softened him in a way he'd never have though possible.

**It was determined that they needn't return to Kagome's time now that things were going so much more smoothly.  Rumors of Shikon shards to the South were passing from travelers quite readily, and so the five prepared to travel.  But as they got farther from the well, Kagome began to wonder if she'd told her parents she had to leave… or at least that she might leave soon… When had they last seen her, before or after her irrational change in temperament that the Shikon shards had affected.  She grew more nervous by the day, and try though she might, it must have become obvious to the others that even though things were good between her and Inuyasha (really good in fact) she wasn't quite herself.  About a week after leaving Kaede's house, she began to feel it - a pain that went from her chest back to between her shoulder-blades… right where the sword would have plunged through her.  It was nearly unbearable, and even harder to keep from showing.  Though it came and went like a headache, she started to sweat and get chills when it was at its worst.**

**"Kagome, what's wrong?"  Inuyasha asked when she was getting chills one warm afternoon.  His put his arm around her shoulders and the pain and chills subsided to a faint throb.**

**"My metabolism must be off, probably from the change in diet.  We're out of ramen too now."   She said, writing it off to the fact that they'd just run out of food from her world.**

Inuyasha grinned, "Yeah, that ra-men stuff is good."  A bit dreamier now, his thoughts wandered to dinned.  "We should have fish with the rice tonight - I'll go catch some!"  He said, bounding off giddily.  Funny, Kagome noted.  He's been acting so youthful and immature lately…As he left the pain returned, but the chills were gone and she bore it in peace.

**o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

**When they reached the village, Kagome came to a decision.  Although she had first decided to stay because of how much it meant to Inuyasha, she now felt that she had to return home...  She would tell him when they were ot of public sight, so that if he threw a fit it wouldn't be too embarassing.  As they walked into the inn where they would be staying (while Miroku assessed the demon exising situation to pay for their stay) Kagome pled to Sango that she needed fresh air.**

**On her way out to the nearby clearing that she'd spotted, she saw a caravan, stopped dead with a crowd of people hovering near the front.  She heard one exclamation before she went on her way,**

**"Oh no, she's dead!" A mother's anguished cry.**

**Hurrying, Kagome made her way to the clearing where she sat down and cried,feeling like somehow it was their fault the child died, and knowing that she was about to disrupt the only peace that she had in her life.**

**"Oh Inuyasha," She said aloud "I'm so sorry..."**

**"What?"  She turned around to find that Inuyasha had followed her faster than she'd expected.**

**"I... I need to tell you something...  and I'm not really sure how to tell you..."  Kagome said slowly, watching him grow agitated.**

**"You want to go back."  He said simply.**

**"I think that I should have told my parents before we left... And it ocurred to me that they may have heard from the hospital.... And I want them to know that I..."  Kagome was cut offjst before she could say 'want to marry you' by Inuyasha's gruff reply,**

**"Fine, so waste all this travelling and when we could find that shard in a few days, let's just turn around and go back, because NOW you think that you should have left your mother a note?  Ok, you know what, maybe you should just run home since you care more about them than you do about us."**

**Suddenly as he spoke the pain returned, sharp and poignant.  Rather than let him know, she wanted to go briefly to a physician in her world, find ot why she felt this phantom wound...  About to stagger from the pain, tears streaming down her face for more than one reason, she ran off into the woods.**

**And when she arrived in the woods, she saw another Kagome... with Inuyasha.**


End file.
